If you’re similar to most women, you probably look forward to the onset of your period about as much as a root canal. While menstruation is a normal biological process, that doesn’t make coping with its more unpleasant symptoms, such as migraines, cramps, and heavy bleeding, any easier.
The good news? There are now more contraceptive care options than ever to help provide some much-needed menstrual relief. Several types of hormonal birth control can regulate your monthly cycle. Hence, you experience fewer issues such as painful periods or irregular bleeding.
These contraceptives deliver a steady supply of hormones – usually estrogen and progestin or progestin alone – that stop the ovaries from releasing eggs and the uterus from shedding its lining as often. That means lighter, shorter, and more predictable periods.
Hormonal Options for Menstrual Management
If you struggle with difficult menstrual symptoms, contraceptives containing hormones could help get them under better control. Here’s an overview of the various formulations now available by prescription for cycle regulation:
- The Pill: Oral contraceptive pills provide estrogen and progestin in tablet form taken daily. Traditional 21-day packs have you take hormones for three weeks, followed by a one-week break to allow bleeding. But extended or continuous pill regimens let you delay or even cease periods altogether.
- The Patch: The weekly contraceptive skin patch sticks onto your body to transmit hormones transdermally. Just remember to change patches routinely.
- The Ring: This flexible vaginal ring releases a steady amount of estrogen and progestin directly where needed when inserted monthly.
- The Shot: An injection of the hormone progestin alone every three months offers convenience and high effectiveness for patients wanting to space out periods.
- Intrauterine Devices (IUDs): Progestin based IUDs placed in the uterus supply constant light doses of progestin for as many as eight years. They commonly result in lighter menstruation and fewer days of bleeding over time.
Perks of Hormonal Management
Juggling monthly menses along with school, jobs, relationships and more poses enough challenges without problematic periods worsening quality of life. Hormonal contraceptives offer a range of potential benefits that could make your cycle much more tolerable:
Regulates irregular, unpredictable periods- Results in lighter monthly bleeding
- Reduces the number of bleeding days
- Minimizes painful menstrual cramps
- Improves PMS symptoms such as bloating and mood swings
- Manages conditions leading to painful periods, such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids
- Clears up hormonal acne breakouts
- Eliminates monthly periods with some formulations
What to Consider When Choosing Your Method
With so many hormonal birth control options available now for managing your flow, it can feel overwhelming to select the right one for your situation. Take these key factors into account when discussing choices with your women’s health provider:
- Effectiveness: Consider contraceptives over 90% effective at preventing pregnancy for maximum security in avoiding surprise periods.
- Duration: Do you want short-acting methods such as pills needing daily dosing or long-lasting coverage from an IUD over several years?
- Side Effects: Each formulation has unique potential side effects to understand before starting, such as breakthrough bleeding, headaches, or injection site reactions.
- Adherence/Monitoring: Will you reliably take a daily tablet or get quarterly shots without forgetting? Can you check weekly that your patch stays securely adhered or that your ring gets replaced on schedule?
- Upfront Costs vs. Long-Term: While you might save money eventually by not paying for frequent physician visits or refills with options such as IUDs, they may require more expensive upfront costs for the device and placement procedure.
- Insurance Coverage: Verify what contraceptive care options your health plan covers fully or partially and any associated copays or deductibles.
Eliminating Monthly Bleeding Entirely
While hormonal contraceptives mainly aim to establish lighter, shorter, and more regular menstrual cycles, some also give you the option to stop monthly bleeding completely.
Eliminating withdrawal bleeding offers convenience and relief from associated nuisance side effects such as cramps, headaches, or tiredness. Discuss with your clinician whether continuous regimens without regular bleeding breaks may suit your lifestyle and health status.
Most formulations, from pills to shots, enable extending the active hormone phase to delay menses if desired. Options such as the oral contraceptive Amethyst allow for complete cycle suppression taking hormones nonstop for 365 days.
Multiple studies confirm the safety of such regimens for most women. Talk to your doctor about extended regimen or continuous cycle suppression if this sounds appealing to you.
Partner with Raleigh Gynecology & Wellness to Achieve Menstrual Relief Through Contraceptive Care
If frustrating monthly symptoms interfere with feeling your best while hindering your ability to fully participate in academics, careers, relationships, and everything else important to you, don’t hesitate to seek personalized contraceptive guidance.
Raleigh Gynecology & Wellness’s experienced team offers expert care focused solely on supporting optimal women’s health and well-being at every age and stage of life.
We’ll listen with empathy, thoroughly evaluate your unique situation, educate and counsel you on all options, and then collaborate to find the ideal individualized solutions for your needs and priorities.
Contact us today at (919) 636-6670 or book an appointment online to discover how we can help you harness the power of contraceptive hormones to finally tame troublesome periods for good.